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Post by kiwichappers on Jan 25, 2008 8:31:28 GMT 12
Tonight I noticed this on Amazon and just had to pre order,
From North Africa to the Arakan: The Engrossing Memoir of WWII Spitfire Ace Alan McGregor Peart DFC, RNZAF - Alan Peart
Synopsis lifted from the Amazon site is interesting.
Alan Peart was born in Nelson, New Zealand in 1922. Joining 610 Squadron on completion of training, he served against the Germans over occupied Europe, then Tunisia, Malta, Sicily, Italy, and the Japanese over Burma. Operating from 'Broadway' airstrip, his was the only spitfire not destroyed during airstrikes. This is an excellent first hand account of the air war in such varied theatres. The author writes of the appalling living conditions and the issues the aircrew faced living far from civilisation. Further, his descriptions of combat experiences are extremely vivid and dramatic. Especially so when on one occasion during one Japanese raid in Burma, only Alan and his CO were scrambled to intercept. The CO was quickly shot down and Alan found himself in an air battle with 50+ enemy aircraft. He survived to become an ace and tell his remarkable story. He now lives in Hamilton, NZ.
Just thought you might be interested from a local point of view and I feel another series of models coming on.
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Post by phil82 on Jan 25, 2008 13:37:09 GMT 12
I know Alan Peart very well... he lived nearby before moving to Hamilton... a lovely gentle man.
I took him to the movies once in Wellington to see that film abour Czech Spitfire Pilots , [Blue something? ] and he thought the flying scenes were 'absolutely marvellous'.
He had a vey good article published in Flypast a few years ago
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jan 25, 2008 13:53:30 GMT 12
His grandaughter wasn't Heather Peart was she? She was a pilot in the RNZAF late 1990's (may be still there). She was looking like being the first woman strike pilot until she had some medical problems and got reroled (she was on the Macchi at the time).
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 25, 2008 14:48:04 GMT 12
This book has been helped come to light in the public thanks to our own member Larry Hill, who is the RNZAF book expert. Thanks Larry.
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Post by phil82 on Jan 25, 2008 15:04:49 GMT 12
Don't know about Heather Don, but there was, in the 1960s-early 70s, a certain Wing Commander Roger Peart,
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Post by phil82 on Jan 25, 2008 15:07:10 GMT 12
Incidentally, if you saw Alan Peart in the flesh, you would instantly recognise him for what he once was. Very dapper, with grey neatly trimmed moustache, lovely manners and very well-spoken. A gentleman in fact.
I've order the book from Amazon, but it's not been published yet, available May2008, and delivered June! Forteen quid plus postage. I'll rent it out to you all when I've read it!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2008 16:02:15 GMT 12
Isn't that nice of Dave to call me the "RNZAF book expert" - thanks Dave.
I uncovered Alan Peart's book during the research phase of producing the NZ Aviation Bibliography. (which will be on sale soon hopefully. His is the second book that I have directed to Grub street for publishing. The first was Kiwi Spitfire Ace by Jack Rae.
Heather Peart ex RNZAF pilot is Alan's niece - she is now an Airline pilot.
The comments are spot on, Alan is a extremely nice man and I am delighted and privileged to have come to know both him and his wife well over the last year.
We are still refining parts of the book, but the title and the cover design are now complete and all is on track for a publishing date in May this year. (if I could figure out how to do it I would paste a picture of the cover of the book here).
I can highly recommend Alan's book - its a great story and he has an easy to read writing style. He also had some really amazing experiences like the time he took on 20+ Zero's on his own over "Broadway" (an allied airstrip 100 miles inside japanese territory in Burma) - the only other Spitfire airborne at the time was flown by his CO who was quickly shot down and killed leaving Alan alone with 20+ japs - he managed to survive for 45 minutes - riveting stuff..
The book will be available in NZ in May and it is likely that we will have a book launch in Auckland and Alan will be in attendance all going well. I will post info on the forum closer to the time if anyone is intersted in attending.
I have also uncovered a third book worthy of publication that I am going to see if Grub Street will publish - it by a highly decorated airman who told me that he tried to have it published some years back but the guy he gave it to declined to proceed with it "because he felt no one would believe it". Its quite funny in parts.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2008 16:07:22 GMT 12
One more thing
Phil82's comment that "if you saw Alan in the flesh you would instantly recognise him..." is not quite true in some ways. He was an is a dapper man but he also has an identical twin who was also an Air force Officer. (Phill - his name is Roger and he was an RNZAF Wing Commander)
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Post by SEAN on Feb 4, 2008 9:49:14 GMT 12
Thanks to Larry, here is a scan of the cover:  |
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Post by Barnsey on Feb 4, 2008 20:49:39 GMT 12
Wrong chick Don!! Heather and I were on the same pilots course. She always wanted to fly the Iroquois, and was posted to 3 Sqn following PTS. Megan Urlich (12 months later, on the "Wings" documentary) was keen on being posted to the strike role, and unfortunately encountered medical issues and left the RNZAF.
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Post by skyhawkdon on Feb 5, 2008 20:02:31 GMT 12
See what old age does to the memory bank! Either that or I killed too many brain cells at Dinning Ins  |
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Post by kiwichappers on May 18, 2008 0:47:57 GMT 12
The book dropped through my letterbox this morning and I have already dipped into a few pages, which has delayed the lawn mowing a bit [well a lot]. My inital impressions are that it is going to be a very good read.
Thank you Larry for getting Alan's book published and an even bigger thank you to Alan Peart for giving us this wonderful personal history.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 5, 2008 22:19:53 GMT 12
I have just finished reading Alan's book, with great thanks to Colin Hall (Phil82) who kindly supplied me with a copy.
It is a fantastic read, really difficult to put down. The things that Alan Peart endured and survived from aerial combat to being bombed and strafed to tropical diseases and even being bitten by a snake - it's amazing he survived the war at all.
His attention to detail about the aircraft he flew and the various facets of aerial combat are brilliant. He also details the deprivations that airmen had to suffer and endure in places like North Africa, Malta and India, some of the places he served. Those who think the RAF had it easy while the Army did all the hard work should read this book. Alan Peart handles telling all this and more with a great skill as a writer, and had me hooked from the first few pages.
Even his training days was of great interest, especially his descriptions of the near-forgotten and underestimated Hawker Hinds at Ohakea.
I think the book makes a great companion to those by other New Zealanders who served in the same squadron as Alan, No. 81 Squadron. Among them were Bryan Young who wrote the equally superb book 'Beckoning Skies', and of course fellow ace Colin Gray who was Alan's CO for some time.
This book also has some really good photos in it, many not previously seen as far as I know.
I certainly recommend this book highly.
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